Revocation of Edict

	Descendants of Marie Ferree Reunion 2022

The 2022 Reunion of the Descendants of Marie Ferree took place July 25th - 28th in Lancaster, PA. Our headquarters for the week was the Fulton Steamboat Inn which made for a charming and centrally located venue for our meetings and presentations. We hosted 58 attendees from 13 different states, 43 of which were Ferree descendants. We were happy to see a great combination of both repeat and new attendees.

On the evening of Monday, July 25th we kicked off the event with a meet-and-greet event. It was great to reconnect with "cousins", some of whom we hadn't met before! It was also exciting to see the original 1712 land grant which was displayed by its owner, Eric Conner. It was double framed with the reverse also visible. On the reverse, it appears that the document is signed by both Daniel Ferree and Isaac Lefever and features some excellent examples of wax Penn family seals. It was a treat to have this on view for our opening event! The Ferree Store merchandise was also available and many picked up some lovely items featuring the Ferree coat of arms as well as books, pottery, and other items created by and for family members.

Tuesday, July 26th was our conference day. The day started with a moment of remembrance which included a lovely musical performance by flutist, Cathy Steinbach. Our first presentation of the day was an in-depth presentation by Betsy Brooks about our family history in Steinweiler, Germany and immigration from Europe to the New World. This was followed by a "cousin chat" session where we met with others from our same line of descent to share information and find common relations. In the afternoon we had presentations from Elaine Tobias, Don and Bonnie Thorp, and Donna Jernigan about their specific line and it's migration away from the Lancaster area.

Twenty-five of us boarded a bus on the morning of Wednesday, July 27th to head to New Castle, Delaware. Enroute, we were able to see William Penn Rock where legend has it, Penn met with local indigenous people to sign a treaty of peace in 1701. When we arrived in New Castle, our first stop was lunch at Jessop's Tavern and then we headed to the historical society to meet our guides for a walking tour of the historic sites. By far, our favorite site was Immanuel Episcopal Church on the Green where Jane Ferree and Mary Catherine Ferree were both married, giving us a unique and exciting connection to the beautiful place. After visiting the church, we all agreed to return to Jessop's Tavern for ice cream before heading back to Lancaster.

Thursday, July 28th, our final reunion day, came more quickly than we could have expected. In the morning, President Randy Ferree gave some final words and then 37 of the group boarded a bus for a tour of Ferree houses led by Sam Stoltzfus. Some of the sites we saw included the remains of Joel Ferree's gunshop, Philip and Leah Ferree's first and second houses, land owned by Daniel Ferree, the site of Marie Ferree's cabin and Carpenter's Cemetery which holds the graves of many of our ancestors. It was a beautiful day to tour our homeland and we enjoyed Sam's narration.

The end came all too soon and when we returned to the hotel it was time to say goodbye. Plans have already begun for our 2024 reunion and we look forward to meeting again as a group to share our history and love of family.